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Bing Crosby

Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, actor, television producer, and businessman. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a leader in record sales, network radio ratings, and motion picture grosses from 1926 to 1977. He was one of the first global cultural icons. He made over 70 feature films and recorded more than 1,600 songs.

His early career coincided with recording innovations that allowed him to develop an intimate singing style that influenced many male singers who followed, such as Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Dean Martin, Dick Haymes, Elvis Presley, and John Lennon. Yank magazine said that he was "the person who had done the most for the morale of overseas servicemen" during World War II. In 1948, American polls declared him the "most admired man alive", ahead of Jackie Robinson and Pope Pius XII.: 6  In 1948, Music Digest estimated that his recordings filled more than half of the 80,000 weekly hours allocated to recorded radio music in America.

Crosby won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Going My Way (1944) and was nominated for its sequel, The Bells of St. Mary's (1945), opposite Ingrid Bergman, becoming the first of six actors to be nominated twice for playing the same character. He was the number one box office attraction for five consecutive years, 1944 to 1948. At his screen apex in 1946, Crosby starred in three of the year's five highest-grossing films: The Bells of St. Mary's, Blue Skies and Road to Utopia. In 1963, Crosby received the first Grammy Global Achievement Award. He is one of 33 people to have three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the categories of motion pictures, radio, and audio recording. He was also known for his collaborations with his friend Bob Hope, starring in the Road to... films from 1940 to 1962.

Crosby influenced the development of the post World War II recording industry. After seeing a demonstration of a German broadcast quality reel-to-reel tape recorder brought to the United States by John T. Mullin, he invested $50,000 in the California electronics company Ampex to build copies. He then persuaded ABC to allow him to tape his shows. He became the first performer to prerecord his radio shows and master his commercial recordings onto magnetic tape. Crosby has been associated with the Christmas season since Irving Berlin's musical film Holiday Inn, in which he starred and famously sang "White Christmas". Through audio recordings, he produced his radio programs with the same directorial tools and craftsmanship (editing, retaking, rehearsal, time shifting) used in motion picture production, a practice that became the industry standard. In addition to his work with early audio tape recording, he helped finance the development of videotape, bought television stations, bred racehorses, and co-owned the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team, during which time the team won two World Series (1960 and 1971).

Birth and Death Data: Born May 3, 1903 (Tacoma), Died October 14, 1977 (Madrid)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1961

Roles Represented in DAHR: baritone vocal, lyricist, songwriter, speaker, composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 51-75 of 1151 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor PBVE-61078 10-in. 3/2/1931 Just a gigolo Bing Crosby Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-61091 10-in. 5/1/1931 Ho, hum! Cocoanut Grove Orchestra ; Bing Crosby ; Loyce Whiteman Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-61092 10-in. 5/1/1931 I'm gonna get you Cocoanut Grove Orchestra ; Bing Crosby Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-61096 10-in. 7/6/1931 At your command Cocoanut Grove Orchestra ; Donald Novis Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor PCVE-68310 12-in. 9/2/1931 Just one more chance Bing Crosby Radio broadcast : Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PCVE-68311 12-in. 9/2/1931 I'm thru with love Bing Crosby Radio broadcast : Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PMVE-68312 16-in. 9/2/1931 Fifteen minutes with Bing Crosby Bing Crosby Radio broadcast : Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PCVE-68378 12-in. 8/7/1932 Paramount-Publix record no. 1 for The big broadcast Bing Crosby ; Paramount Studio Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and dialogue speaker, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PCVE-68379 12-in. 8/7/1932 Paramount-Publix record no. 2 for The big broadcast Bing Crosby ; Paramount Studio Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and announcement vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PCS-68471 12-in. 5/11/1933 College humor : Paramount transcription Paramount Studio Orchestra Promotional recording vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PCS-68472 12-in. 5/11/1933 College humor : Paramount transcription Paramount Studio Orchestra Promotional recording vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BRC-68815 10-in. 3/23/1931 I surrender dear Richard Barry ; Henry Busse Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus songwriter  
Victor BRC-69973 10-in. 6/24/1931 At your command Charlie Lawman Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor BRC-70955 10-in. 11/18/1931 Where the blue of the night (Meets the gold of the day) Russ Columbo Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor BRC-71203 10-in. 12/22/1931 Where the blue of the night Pennsylvanians ; Fred Waring Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus songwriter  
Victor BSHQ-71952 10-in. 3/15/1932 My woman Leo Reisman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BSHQ-73093 10-in. 7/11/1932 (Where are you?) Girl of my dreams Wally Darrach ; Graham Prince Palais D'Or Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-73305 10-in. 8/18/1932 Love me tonight Mildred Bailey Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor BS-73356 10-in. 9/2/1932 Love me to-night George Olsen and his Music ; Paul Small Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-77807 10-in. 9/12/1933 I would if I could but I can't Williams' Washboard Band Washboard band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-77813 10-in. 9/12/1933 I would if I could but I can't Tinsley's Washboard Band Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-77818 10-in. 9/12/1933 I would if I could but I can't Mickey Mouse and the Turtle Washboard band composer  
Victor BS-028743 10-in. 10/28/1938 I don't stand a ghost of a chance with you Boots and his Buddies Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-043960 10-in. 12/5/1939 (I don't stand) A ghost of a chance with you Walter Gross ; Bea Wain Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor PBS-049935 10-in. 7/17/1940 I don't stand a ghost of a chance with you Helen Forrest ; Lionel Hampton Orchestra Jazz/dance quintet, with female vocal solo lyricist  
(Results 51-75 of 1151 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Crosby, Bing," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101942.

Crosby, Bing. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101942.

"Crosby, Bing." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101942

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